Welcome to the El Camino Baptist Church blog. We wanted a place where our ministry leaders could share things that God has laid on their hearts. Please feel free to comment and join in the discussion as we share how God is moving through His church.Other places to find us on the web are our website, Youtube, and Facebook. You can also check out Hoss' music blog at hosshughes.com.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Priorities

A dear friend of mine from my teaching days is critically ill. It was totally unexpected. She was a very healthy, fit lady. When I got the text, I was heartbroken. As far as I know, she has yet to accept Christ as her Savior.

I spent that entire morning, my day off, asking God, (beseeching, begging), to spare her life and draw her and her family into a personal relationship with Himself. I am heartbroken at the prospect that she might live eternally apart from God.

In my times with God since then, I have done a lot of thinking about how I spend my time. The fact that I could've and should've invested more in my friendship with her, influencing her for Christ, hit me hard.

Psalm 119:37 says, "Turn my eyes away from worthless things." I live a pretty good life. My leisure activities include watching movies, reading, gardening, cycling, and shopping thrift stores. I wouldn't consider them necessarily 'worthless'. But are they 'worthwhile'?

When I think about my friend recovering in ICU, I wonder if the movie I watched or the shopping I did was more important than making time for her, or making time for the other friends God has placed in my life who also don't have a personal relationship with Him yet.

There is nothing wrong with watching TV or gardening. Agreed. I am entitled to rest, recreation, and fun. I work hard. But when I don't make time for what really matters, when people God has entrusted into my care don't know Him, I think I need to reevaluate some of my choices, and use my time more wisely.